The return of Mad Men is just around the corner! When the show premiered in 2007, viewers found themselves tuning in for the 1960s wardrobe just as much as the juicy story lines. The clothing was such a hit that the show inspired its own collection at Banana Republic. Clothing from the 60s has such a polished, chic feel to it and is great inspiration for 20 somethings looking to shake up their wardrobe.

This sheath dress emphasizes a small waist and is definitely something I could see one of the ladies at Sterling Cooper wearing. The neckline is enough of a focal point that you can skip a necklace. Dress, $40.

Taking a cue from Joan in the picture above, I paired the fuchsia dress with purple heels. Heels, $29.99.

With such colorful heels and dress, stick to simple accessories. Earrings, $4.80; bangle, $4.80.

Total cost for this Mad Men look:

$79.59.

Of all the trends out right now, I’ve become mildly obsessed with the bun.  And by mildly obsessed, I mean that I absolutely can’t get enough of them.  Every time I see one I swoon and then become instantly jealous that I don’t have a similar knot plopped atop my head.  Everywhere we look, celebs are sporting this look and for good reason.  Not only is it easy to create and easier to maintain, but it gives off a “I am glamorous and couture and super trendy and stylish without even really trying” vibe.  With just a few tricks up your sleeve, you too could give Sienna Miller a run for her top-knotted money.  Just follow the DIY tips below, and twirl and tease your way to the levels of higher fashion.

A great thing about this look is that it works with any hairstyle (provided your hair is at least long enough to wrap up) and texture.  Depending on how you like it, you can go the sleek route or try instead for a messier is better approach.  So there’s no reason to think, “I can’t pull off a bun”, because I PROMISE that you can!

Things you’ll need: a hair tie, bobby pins, hairspray, and smoothing gel/mousse/serum (pretty much whatever you favor to calm those pesky flyaways).  Begin by pulling your hair back into a pony tail at the crown of your head.  You want to take the time to smooth out the hair going into the pony.  The focus and height should be on the bun itself, not the hair on your scalp pre-pony, so brush it back or pull it tight enough.  I like to put a bit of gel or hairspray on my hands as I pull back the hair, to ensure sleekness.

Once pulled back, secure with a hair tie.  You can do this in a few ways.  You can simply twirl the hair up in a tight knot and be done with it.  Simpler is better, right?  These knots work great for gals without the luxury of super long locks, and are a favorite among fashion editors.  For more volume, you have options.  You can loop your ponytail through on its last trip through the hair tie, so that the hair never makes it completely through the band.  Then, take the remaining hair (all the hair that never made it through the loop) and wrap around the loop to create a bigger bun.  Then take bobby pins and secure in place.  You can manipulate the loop in the center and pin as desired to create the perfect shape for your bun.

 Or, tease to please.  Before pulling back into a ponytail, tease your hair to achieve maximum volume.  Then smooth back the tops as you pull into the pony tail, creating a massive mane at the top of your head.  Twirl the hair into a knot and begin securing with bobby pins.  Continue to tease out the bun, either with your fingers or with bobby pins, and mussing it up to maintain the height.  Smooth out the roots with some gel and then apply hairspray to the bun to keep in place.

Easy, right?  This hairstyle is perfect for that big night out on the town AND on those mornings when you over sleep and don’t have time to do your ‘do.  No matter what time of day or night, this hairstyle is guaranteed fashionista in a pinch.  Do you agree?  Have any other tips for creating the perfect top knot?  Let me know in the comments section below!

After graduating from college in ’09, Allyson Barkan flew off to Greece to teach English Literature at a private high school and explore Greek and European culture for a year.  Since returning stateside, she now works in Entertainment Public Relations in New York City.  For travel advice, stray observations as a 20-something in the big city, and the occasional hilarious misadventure, follow Allyson atwww.allysonbarkan.com and on twitter at @aebarkan.

If I could own a blazer and a pair of TOMS in every color I truly believe a piece of my heart would be complete. I am fully aware that these two items don’t exactly go hand in hand, yet my apparent love for one is shown below…

Warning: Elaine from Seinfeld was not harmed in the making of this outfit!

Hint:  These wide-leg corduroys were found in the sale section at Anthropologie for $29!

How to Wear: Wide-Leg Pants

Wide Leg Corduroys:  Anthropologie

Blazer:  H&M

Striped Shirt:  H&M

Boots: Old Navy

I used Windows Live Writer to create this photo collage…it rocks my socks off!   **I am a part of the Windows Champions blogger program. As part of this partnership, I have been loaned a Windows 7 PC for an entire year and have the opportunity to learn about Windows and Microsoft products. I’m looking forward to sharing the inside scoop with fellow 20 something’s & fashion bloggers.**

Name: Meghan Cleary

Job: Shoe/Footwear Expert & Author of:  Shoe Are You? ®

Industry: Fashion

Twitter or Facebook: @shoeareyou ; http://www.facebook.com/shoeareyou

Websites: http://shoeareyou.com/

Audio Only:

It’s not everyday you can take a deep thought provoking message from a Brad Pitt movie. Not that Benjamin Button didn’t leave your mind wandering. Like, why is that baby old? Anyhow, the point I’m trying to make is that after staying up late last night to celebrate our presidents (or watch Moneyball), I was struck by an epiphany. For those who are still Oprah fans left searching for the OWN channel, let’s just call this my ‘Aha’ moment.

Billy Beane (Brad Pitt’s character) changed the way baseball was played. Rather than using a majority of his budget to replace one player who happened to get traded to the Yankees and/or some other wealthy team after a successful season, he relied on statistics to buy cheaper players with certain strengths that could add up to the replacement of one all star player within his small budget. Long story short, he did the “Steve Jobs of baseball” and began to “think different.”

Now you might be wondering why I feel the need to spill the details about a random sports movie I recently watched. Well, this Wednesday I have the opportunity to meet the “Steve Jobs of blogs”, Arianna Huffington, which in turn has nothing to do with meeting Brad Pitt or playing baseball. Honestly though, I am more excited to meet Ms. Huffington than Mr. Pitt who happens to be making an appearance in Cincinnati this upcoming Wednesday the 22nd.  She, similarly to Billy Beane, took the “think different” approach back in the day when she founded a little think known as The Huffington Post. While politics were tied into her beginnings, she still changed the way media operated and the way we received it. Lets just say she re-branded the blogger in the basement to the blogger in the high rise. Alright, so maybe it’s more like the blogger in the cubicle. Either way, she took the blogger out of the basement, gave him or her money for clothes other than pajamas (so I’d like to think), and made them a legit news source.

The Huffington Post who recently got bought out by AOL for $315 million isn’t exactly a small liberal blog with one objective anymore. Instead, it scales beyond politics into style, women in tech, and topics you probably didn’t even know existed. Disrupting a market whether that be in fashion or in baseball can change the social landscape in which we interact today. Can you remember the first time you read a blog? What about the first time you got an ipod? It’s unlikely you thought about anything other than the content you were reading or the song you were listening to, but in reality you were changing the way things had been done & will be done for future generations. So the next time you order take-out, buy shoes online, or read Reality Chic on your ipad think about the action you’re taking and person behind the idea. Then be inspired to “Think Different.”

For those wanting to hear Arianna Huffington speak at the Aronoff Center downtown Cincinnati, click on this link for 10% off single tickets!